CXE vs. TLT
CXE (MFS High Income Municipal Trust) is a stock, while TLT (iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF) is Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, CXE returned 1.24%/yr vs -1.74%/yr for TLT. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
CXE vs. TLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CXE achieves a 1.94% return, which is significantly higher than TLT's 0.77% return. Over the past 10 years, CXE has outperformed TLT with an annualized return of 1.24%, while TLT has yielded a comparatively lower -1.74% annualized return.
CXE
- 1D
- -1.35%
- 1M
- 0.83%
- YTD
- 1.94%
- 6M
- 1.94%
- 1Y
- 10.36%
- 3Y*
- 7.55%
- 5Y*
- -2.59%
- 10Y*
- 1.24%
TLT
- 1D
- 0.13%
- 1M
- 2.20%
- YTD
- 0.77%
- 6M
- 0.38%
- 1Y
- 3.87%
- 3Y*
- -1.89%
- 5Y*
- -6.59%
- 10Y*
- -1.74%
CXE vs. TLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CXE MFS High Income Municipal Trust | 1.94% | 6.44% | 8.88% | 6.40% | -27.88% | 5.14% | -0.83% | 22.02% | -6.39% | 13.34% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 0.77% | 4.25% | -8.05% | 2.77% | -31.23% | -4.60% | 18.15% | 14.12% | -1.61% | 9.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between CXE and TLT is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 26, 2002 | 0.14 |
The correlation between CXE and TLT shifts across timeframes, from 0.14 (all time) to 0.38 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
CXE vs. TLT — Risk / Return Rank
CXE
TLT
CXE vs. TLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MFS High Income Municipal Trust (CXE) and iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| CXE | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.76 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.12 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.07 | +0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.06 | 0.51 | +1.55 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.89 | 1.22 | +4.67 |
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Drawdowns
CXE vs. TLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CXE drawdown since its inception was -56.78%, which is greater than TLT's maximum drawdown of -48.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CXE and TLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CXE | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -56.78% | -48.35% | -8.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.48% | -7.58% | +2.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.64% | -19.18% | +2.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.23% | -43.70% | +4.47% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.23% | -48.35% | +9.12% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.40% | -39.82% | +25.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.64% | -13.87% | +1.23% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.91% | 3.18% | -1.27% |
Volatility
CXE vs. TLT - Volatility Comparison
MFS High Income Municipal Trust (CXE) has a higher volatility of 3.02% compared to iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) at 2.20%. This indicates that CXE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than TLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CXE | TLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.02% | 2.20% | +0.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.73% | 6.62% | +0.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.68% | 9.48% | +0.20% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.80% | 15.82% | -2.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.26% | 14.88% | +1.38% |
Dividends
CXE vs. TLT - Dividend Comparison
CXE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.32%, more than TLT's 4.54% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CXE MFS High Income Municipal Trust | 6.32% | 5.59% | 4.97% | 4.39% | 5.70% | 4.74% | 4.86% | 4.73% | 6.17% | 5.72% | 6.04% | 6.27% |
TLT iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF | 4.54% | 4.43% | 4.30% | 3.38% | 2.67% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 2.43% | 2.60% | 2.61% |
Frequently Asked Questions
CXE and TLT have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CXE has higher volatility (3.02%) compared to TLT (2.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CXE dropped -56.78% vs TLT's -48.35%.
CXE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.17 vs 0.41), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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